Community Food Project

Southeast Gainesville Community Food Project
"Linking the Agricultural and Cultural Roots of Southeast Gainesville to Increase Food Access and Sovereignty"

G.R.A.C.E Community Engagement Toolkit
This model aims to help you and your neighbors leverage the assets and strengths in your neighborhood to create equitable and sustainable solutions to many different types of social issues.

Community Driven Research and Data

Community-based participatory research (CBPR) is an approach to research that involves collective, reflective and systematic inquiry in which researchers and community stakeholders engage as equal partners in all steps of the research process with the goals of educating, improving practice or bringing about social change in a way that centers the voices of the impacted community and improves upon accountability measures. At its core, CBPR questions the power relationships that are inherently embedded in Western knowledge production, advocates for power to be shared between the researcher and the researched In our project we have 15 community advisers designing the research process who are from the impacted community. The data collected will be used to create an action plan to inform local organizations and citizens working towards food accessibility in this community.

Oral History

ORAL HISTORY OF FOODWAYS FOR BLACK GAINESVILLE RESIDENTS, ESPECIALLY FROM THE EAST SIDE

In order to engage in an assets based and more respectful approach to the work, historical culture, power, trauma, and influences must be examined and taken into context in the design of solutions. By looking at historical and cultural influences we are more able to extrapolate what works for the affected community in a sustainable way. There are many people who do meaningful and impactful work in their communities who are not historically recognized because the experience does not fall under the umbrella of institutional power, especially in communities that have experienced disinvestment. Respect for history can help to counter systemic injustice and improve upon trust.

Assets Map

SOUTHEAST GAINESVILLE ASSET MAP

Overwhelmingly, feedback that we heard from the community is that they don't want another needs assessment. They know what the issues are pertaining to food accessibility. What they need are resources put towards the solutions. In addition to being a more empowering approach that recognizes that all people and cultures have gifts, assets based approaches build on the assets that are already found in the community and mobilize individuals, associations, and institutions to come together to build on their assets-- not concentrate on their needs. This in turn reinforces that the solution is to generate power in the impacted community.

blurred background of Vegetable garden a

Community Advisers

Our Community Advisers are people from the impacted community who were nominated by community members. Our Community Advisers are in leadership or people who are not tradititionally recognized in a position of power who have experience in systems relevant to food accesibility like the following:

food assistance programs, farming/agriculture/gardens, food chain work, community connection like activism or faith based groups, small business entreprenuers, education and human services, public transit, local culture, and people directly impacted by disparities.

Our Community Advisers are Brenda Phillips, Linda Williams, Taketa Hall, Jennifer Revell, Latorria Mosely, Staci White, Laverne Porter-Mitchell, Nathaniel Courtney, Ryan Reid, Janet Hayes, Kiearia Williams, Carla Lewis-Miles, Drucilla Hale, Howie Ellis, and Reginald Moaseley

Southeast Gainesville Community Food Project "Linking the Agricultural and Cultural Roots of Southeast Gainesville to Increase Food Access and Sovereignty"

G.R.A.C.E Community Engagement Toolkit This model aims to help you and your neighbors leverage the assets and strengths in your neighborhood to create equitable and sustainable solutions to many different types of social issues.